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Cargill has announced approximately €56 million in investments across Belgium, expanding its edible oils production, gourmet chocolate manufacturing and food innovation capabilities to support growing customer demand across Europe.
Cargill Investments Strengthen Edible Oils, Chocolate Production and Food Innovation Network
The investments include expansions at the company’s edible oils bottling facility in Izegem, its gourmet chocolate production site in Mouscron, and a new extrusion pilot plant at its Innovation Center in Vilvoorde.
According to Cargill, the projects enhance both production capacity and research and innovation capabilities while supporting customer-led product development across the food sector.
Edible Oils Expansion Supports Foodservice Growth
Cargill has invested €21 million in its Izegem facility, transforming around 60% of what it describes as its largest edible oil bottling site in Europe.
The expansion is focused on increasing production capacity, introducing greater automation and improving operational efficiency.
The investment has nearly doubled the site’s capacity and includes two new dedicated foodservice production lines designed to provide greater manufacturing flexibility and strengthen service for foodservice customers and the project is intended to reinforce long-term supply reliability while supporting increasing demand for edible oils across European foodservice markets.
Gourmet Chocolate Capacity Nearly Doubled
At its Mouscron facility, Cargill has invested €30 million to expand gourmet chocolate production.
The project adds 10,500 square metres of new production space and nearly doubles the company’s gourmet chocolate manufacturing capacity.
The expanded site will produce Cargill’s premium Veliche couverture chocolate range and support artisanal foodservice operators, restaurants and food manufacturers.
The additional capacity will help customers respond more effectively to seasonal demand, accelerate customised product development and reduce lead times.
New R&D Facility Enhances Product Development
Cargill has also invested €5.4 million in a new extrusion pilot plant at its Vilvoorde Innovation Center.
It is designed to support rapid prototyping, ingredient functionality testing and customer collaboration across food, feed and pet food applications.
The investment builds on a previously announced €45 million investment in Cargill’s food innovation centre in Vilvoorde and further strengthens the company’s European research and development network.
The facility will help accelerate product development and enable closer collaboration with customers seeking new ingredient and formulation solutions.
Belgium Plays Strategic Role in European Food Operations
Cargill highlighted Belgium’s importance within its European food manufacturing and innovation network, citing its established food industry, customer proximity and logistics capabilities.
Geert Maesmans, Vice President of R&D for Cargill’s Food business in EMEA and Cargill’s Belgium Country Lead, said: “Belgium is a key strategic hub for Cargill in Europe, thanks to its strong food industry, close customer connectivity, and advanced logistics infrastructure that enable efficient supply across Western Europe. These investments not only strengthen our local food R&D and production capabilities but allow us to continue to grow with our customers and provide them with more diverse and innovative food solutions across Belgium and the EMEA region.”
Supporting Supply, Innovation and Sustainable Production
The latest investments add to Cargill’s long-standing presence in Belgium, where the company has operated since 1953 and today employs more than 1,500 people across nine locations.
Together, the expansions in Izegem, Mouscron and Vilvoorde are intended to strengthen Cargill’s ability to support food manufacturers, foodservice operators and ingredient customers through increased production capacity, enhanced innovation capabilities and improved supply reliability.
The company said the investments also reinforce its focus on supply, innovation and more sustainable production across its European operations.
This article was produced by the editorial team at Food & Beverage Outlook and published as part of the Outlook Publishing global network of B2B industry magazines.
Outlook Publishing delivers industry insights, company stories, and sector coverage across food production, manufacturing, supply chains, construction, healthcare, mining, and sustainability.
Food & Beverage Outlook provides ongoing coverage of organisations and developments shaping the global food and beverage sector.
